Studying Mental Health Development and Outcomes in Youth Aged 9 to 25 Over Five Years to Improve Prevention and Care

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying mental health development and long-term outcomes in youth aged 9 to 25 through the Behavioural Development, Long-term Outcomes and Opportunities to Optimize Youth Mental Health BLOOM project. The goal is to create detailed personal mental health profiles over time to better predict clinical outcomes and identify chances to improve health. This project enrolls youth who may or may not have mental health diagnoses and follows them annually for five years to assess factors leading to mental health issues and eligibility for preventive care. The study uses an accelerated longitudinal design to cover ages 9 to 25 within five years of follow-up. Youth and their families are recruited from various sources including primary care providers, psychiatric clinics, community agencies, and social services. Participants are grouped as help-seeking or non help-seeking based on their contact with mental health services or social needs. Assessments include measuring antecedents to mental disorders, resilience, and biobehavioral markers such as genetic risk and brain health indicators. Further follow-ups beyond five years may occur depending on funding. Participants will be followed annually with interviews and data collection to track the onset of mental illnesses defined by DSM-5 criteria. The main outcome measured is the number of new cases of seven specific mental disorders over five years. The study also collects information on family history, social factors, and physical health conditions. Participant eligibility and mental health status are monitored, with the possibility of future clinical trials based on this cohort. Total participation duration spans at least five years with further follow-up possible.

Behavioural Development, Long-term Outcomes and Opportunities to Optimize Youth Mental Health Trajectories